EditorialCitys rezoning plan is good, but it must do more to be greatThe presentation of the joint rezoning and landmarking plan for the Far West Village received an enthusiastic reception from an eager audience of 300 residents last Thursday. This was the publics first opportunity to see the citys proposal.

Talking PointNotebookLittle Tony Be Good: He was, and so were his cutsBy Peter von Ziegesar
It was Friday, early in December, and snow was melting in dirty piles all over the street. Cruel rays of sunlight dazzled the windscreens of the cars on Sixth Ave., and pricked through the sunglasses I was wearing. For reasons I couldnt explain, even to myself, Id been putting off going to the barbershop all day.

Remembering father: For my sons Lucian and TristanBy Andrei Codrescu
My father was Joseph Stalin. When I was 6, I had his portrait on my night side table and every night before I went to sleep I told him this prayer my grandmother taught me: Our Father who art in Heaven/ Hallowed be Thy name  etc. Then I slept securely under the shadow of his mustache. Stalin was much more of a father to me than my biological one, whom I barely knew, or my mothers new husband, a brutal railroad engineer who once beat me for writing the words Mail Box on his painstakingly constructed wooden trap for mail.

They use a taped ball, but avoid the sticky wicketBy Judith Stiles
A formal cricket match is played with proper wickets, often on manicured grass fields, with men sporting pristine white attire. However in Downtown Manhattan, since there are so few grass fields, a group of young men from Pakistan, who are high-powered investment bankers during the week, settle for city garbage cans in lieu of proper wickets and are happy to play cricket on the blacktop playground at the corner of 20th St. and Second Ave.

"Serving West and East Village, Chelsea, SoHo, NoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown and the Lower East Side"

NEWSMacPherson drops out; Derr will be C.B. 2 chairpersonBy Lincoln Anderson
A week before what was shaping up to be a very close race for Community Board 2 chairperson, Don MacPherson has decided to drop out of the running, leaving Maria Passannante Derr as the sole candidate and assured of being elected.

As buildings fall and rise on Lower East Side, artist is still standingBy David H. Katz
Marco, artist, entrepreneur and community activist, contemplated the near-empty block between E. Houston and Stanton Sts. where Marcoart, the showcase of his exuberant, effervescent images, sits adjacent to a vacant lot running the length of Orchard and Allen Sts. Thats where a 24-story hotel is shortly scheduled to rise; across Orchard St., a row of one-story buildings that once housed discount dress, fabric and leather stores is boarded up and being readied for demolition: a 15-story condominium is on the way.

Villager photo by Talisman Brolin

Cool kids take the plungeAfter a week of temperatures hovering around 90 degrees, children found relief in Washington Sq. Parks fountain. Reconstruction of the park and fountain isnt slated to start until August or September. It seems like a pretty good idea to wait at least until then, especially in the current heat wave.

Landmark moment in effort to save the Far West VillageBy Albert Amateau
The City Planning Department and the Landmarks Preservation Commission presented a joint proposal last week intended to preserve the low-rise, mixed-use Far West Village where high-rise residential development is changing the face of the neighborhood.

InsideWhole Foods wine store could be whole lot of trouble for small guysBy Ellen Keohane
When Frank Giresi, his wife and his business partner first opened their wine and liquor store in 1989 on Elizabeth St. in what is today called Nolita, the block was overrun with heroin and crack, Giresi said. Now their store, Elizabeth & Vine, is tucked between Soho Baby and a Nike iD Design Boutique. And Giresis biggest concern isnt drugs on the block, but the impending arrival of a 5,000-square-foot Whole Foods wine shop on E. Houston St.

Sushi Samba rooftop limbo goes on, and on, and onBy Johanna Petersson
At three years and counting, the seemingly never-ending quest of the Landmarks Preservation Commission to make the Brazilian/Japanese restaurant Sushi Samba 7 at 87 Seventh Ave. S. take down its illegal rooftop tent structure continues.

CBGB feeling punkd, as nonprofit stops lease talksBy Cathy Jedruczek
The chances of CBGB keeping its home on the Bowery suffered another blow recently when the Bowery Residents Committee indicated it is no longer interested in negotiating a new lease with the famous punk rock mecca. Hilly Kristal, CBGBs owner, previously feared he wouldnt be able to pay the high rent of at least $40,000  double his current rent  B.R.C. notified him they would be renting his space for in the new lease. Now comes news B.R.C. doesnt want to offer Kristal a lease at all when his lease expires at the end of August.

Park users cant get over fence around Wash. Sq.By Johanna Petersson
The Washington Sq. Park renovation project has prompted intensely strong feelings in the community. At public meetings where the plans have been presented, the overwhelming majority of people have voiced strong opposition.

Gay PrideA special Villager supplement

L.G.B.T. youth feel at ease within their pier groupInterviews and photos by Cathy Jedruczek
Christopher St. and Pier 45, known as the Christopher St. Pier, have long been a symbol of gay rights. On any given afternoon and through the evening hours, a culturally diverse group of gays and lesbians, many of them young, come to the pier  which was rebuilt a few years ago as part of the Hudson River Park  to hang out and socialize.

For some gay partners, Europe offers a safe havenBy Johanna Petersson
Gay activists in the United States often view Europe as a gay safe haven. But there are great differences in the level of protection for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, especially when it comes to the issue of marriage. Still, as President Bush pushes for a constitutional amendment outlawing marriage for gays and lesbians, the pro-gay stance of Europe is quite unique.

Out, loud and funny: Queer comedy is coming of ageBy Cathy Jedruczek
Do gay and straight people find the same things funny? No, according to Frank DeCaro, gay writer and performer. If you are straight and you go to see Chicago, the movie, youll come out and youll say, It was really good. But if you are gay youll say, Ohhh, my Gaaahd! It was ama-a-a-a-zing! We have to go again! said DeCaro to the overwhelmingly gay audience at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center on Monday night. Flotilla DeBarge, drag performer and comedian, thought gay people were just overenthusiastic.

AIDS facility marks gains but still urges vigilanceRivington House, the largest residential AIDS care facility in the nation, marked its 10th anniversary with an open house and ceremony that looked at the remarkable changes that have occurred in treatment of the disease over the years.

Goodbye, Gay Ghetto; were everywhere in the cityBy Tim Gay
Lets face it. Greenwich Village is no longer a gay neighborhood and hasnt been since at least 1994. The West Village, in particular, lost out to Chelsea just in time for the 25th anniversary of Stonewall back in 1994.

SAGE helps seniors of color celebrate amid supportBy Catherine Shu
Growing older in a youth-oriented society can be a difficult process. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people of color, however, face discrimination on multiple levels and aging brings with it complicated  and often painful  challenges.

Arts and Entertainment

Anne Bancroft tributeMrs. Robinson of The Graduate dies at age 73By Jerry Tallmer
There are only six of us left on this earth who remember a movie called Dont Bother to Knock. It was released in 1952  script by Daniel Taradash and Charlotte Armstrong (from her novel), direction by Roy Ward Baker  and it was the flick in which Marilyn Monroe, as a sub-psychotic baby sitter, gave the best performance of her life, or, if you like, second best to what she did in The Misfits.

Percussion in the audienceBy Jerry Tallmer
David Warren, tall, slim, boyish and as brainy as you could ever want, has directed and won awards for such erudite dramas as Holiday, Hobsons Choice, Summer and Smoke, Misalliance, The Dazzle, Hurrah at Last, Night and Her Stars, Pterodactyls and on and on.

Power pop tribute albumBy David Chiu
Spike Priggen may not be a recognizable name to most casual music listeners, and thats fine with him. Yeah, nobody knows who I am, deadpans the 41-year-old singer, songwriter who has been part of the alternative rock scene for over 25 years. Im totally obscure. Most of the music I like is really obscure so I can take some solace in that.

Koch On FilmBy Ed KochCinderella Man (+) This is a feel good film that succeeds on all levels - story, script, acting and dialogue. It is stated to be the true story of Jim Braddock, the one-time heavyweight champion of the world. The meticulous renderings of the early 30s during the Great Depression make this film particularly fascinating. Deep Blue (+) This movie is worth seeing on the National Geographic or public access channels, but it makes little sense to spend $10 to see it in the theater. I went because I screwed up the time schedule for the movie I wanted to see. To my surprise, the theater was about 40 percent full.

Seducing in the kitchenBy Amanda Kludt
Did you know anchovies are a potent aphrodisiac? So are pine nuts, chili peppers, parsley, and one of the supposed intimacy-spoilers, garlic. Garlic is the best thing created by God, says Shani Castri, after expounding on its legendary use as an aphrodisiac and its scientific ability to improve blood circulation and therefore, sexual performance.